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CMS comparison Xperience by Kentico vs Sitecore

Xperience by Kentico vs Sitecore

Xperience by Kentico is a closed-source enterprise DXP that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Sitecore is a closed-source enterprise DXP that runs on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 11.

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  • Xperience by Kentico Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 19 of 28 built in
  • Sitecore Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 22 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Xperience by Kentico on 29 Sept 2026, Sitecore on 29 Sept 2026. Plans and releases can change after those dates.

WAYF is an official Payload partner and top contributor. Every platform in the table is classified by the same published definitions, and each answer lists the vendor page it came from.

Feature comparison

Built inPaid tierPlugin or add-onLimitedNot available
Xperience by Kentico vs Sitecore feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Xperience by Kentico Enterprise DXP
Sitecore Enterprise DXP
Overview
What it is Kentico's .NET digital experience platform for websites, email and headless channels, sold as Kentico-hosted SaaS or a private-cloud licence.Sitecore's SaaS digital experience platform, formerly XM Cloud. Sitecore hosts the CMS. Sites render in a separate front-end app.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. Xperience by Kentico Version 31.9.0, released 24 Sept 2026 SitecoreAI, formerly XM Cloud, Sitecore's current flagship SaaS platform SaaS, continuously updated
Vendor Kentico kentico.com Sitecore sitecore.com
Licence Closed source Proprietary Closed source Proprietary
Hosting Self-hosting Vendor cloud No self-hosting Vendor cloud SitecoreAI is SaaS only. Self-hosting needs Sitecore XP 10.5, a separate product.
Built with .NET, ASP.NET Core.NET, Next.js Content SDK
Database Microsoft SQL ServerManaged by Sitecore
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. No free option Pricing on request. Licensed per channel in Standard and Advanced tiers, plus AIRA credit packages. No free option Pricing on request.
Content modelling
Content model in code You define content types in files in your repository, review them like any other code and apply them from there. Imperative migration scripts alone count as limited. Built in Continuous Integration serializes content types to files in the repository. 3 Built in Templates serialize to files in the repo with Sitecore Content Serialization. 2
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Built in Field editor in the Content types application. Built in Templates are items edited in the Content Editor.
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Page Builder widgets and sections, plus reusable content items. Built in Page builder with reusable components.
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Language variants per page and content item. Built in Language versions per item.
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in Image variants with configured crops and sizes. 4 Built in Experience Edge media CDN resizes images with query string parameters. 3
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Limited The Management REST API is for local development only. Headless delivery is GraphQL. 56 Built in Content Items REST API since September 2026. Delivery through Experience Edge is GraphQL. 4
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Paid tier Headless channels need the Advanced tier. 6 Built in Experience Edge delivery API. 5
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Not available No outgoing webhooks. Content events need custom handler code. 7 Built in Authoring webhooks and Experience Edge publish webhooks. 65
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Built in ASP.NET Core website channels. Not available Headless. Sites render in a separate app, with built-in Vercel and Netlify integrations. 7
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in 8 Built in Saved changes stay unpublished until pushed to Experience Edge. 11
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Built in Schedule publish and unpublish. 8 Limited Publishing restrictions set availability dates. A publish must still run on the date. 89
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Built in View and restore previously published versions. 9 Built in Numbered item versions.
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in Preview mode and shareable preview URLs. Built in
Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. Built in Page Builder. Built in Page builder.
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Built in Custom workflow steps with role permissions. 10 Built in Item workflows with states and commands. 6
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Limited Cascade publishing sends linked items with the parent. No standalone release bundles. 11 Not available No release bundles. Publishing jobs cover items, subitems and related items. 11
Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. Not available Content locking lets one user edit an item at a time. 12 Limited Page builder saves concurrent edits per field. Others get a reload prompt. No live updates. 10
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Built in Roles with application, workspace and page permissions. 13 Built in Roles with item access rights. 12
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Permissions stop at application, workspace and page level. 13 Built in Field read and field write access rights. 12
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Built in OpenID Connect for the administration, for example Microsoft Entra ID. 14 Built in SAML or OIDC through the Sitecore Cloud Portal. 13
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Limited Event log records system events. Version history shows who changed versioned items. 159 Limited Common Audit Log covers only the Cloud Portal and leaves out SitecoreAI content. Item actions show in CM logs. 1415
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Paid tier Several main website channels need the Advanced tier. Standard adds only microchannels. 2 Built in Site collections with shared content.
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Custom React UI pages and form components. 16 Built in Marketplace apps add custom fields, panels and dashboard widgets. 17
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in Integrations directory on the Kentico Community portal. 17 Built in Sitecore Marketplace. 16
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Built in Form Builder. Built in Built-in Forms with webhook submission handling. 18
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Built in Members with registration, login and member roles. 18 Not available Developers have to build visitor login in the front-end app.
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Built in AIRA text generation and translation on both tiers. Licences include 200,000 credits a year. 219 Built in Content, variant and translation assistants. Brand kits need Stream Premium. 19
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Limited Management MCP server works on local development instances only. 205 Built in Sitecore Marketer MCP server. 20

Xperience by Kentico sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. Xperience by Kentico.

  1. Xperience by Kentico changelog (Refresh 31.9.0, 24 September 2026)
  2. How to buy Xperience by Kentico
  3. Continuous Integration
  4. Content item assets and image variants
  5. Configure the Management MCP and management API
  6. Headless channel management
  7. Handle content events
  8. Edit and publish pages
  9. Content versioning
  10. Workflows
  11. Content items and cascade publishing
  12. Content locking configuration
  13. Role management
  14. Administration external authentication
  15. Event log
  16. Extend the administration interface
  17. Kentico Community integrations
  18. Registration and authentication for members
  19. AIRA pricing, usage and policies
  20. Management MCP server

Sitecore sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. SitecoreAI, formerly XM Cloud, Sitecore's current flagship SaaS platform.

  1. SitecoreAI documentation for business users
  2. Sitecore Content Serialization in SitecoreAI
  3. Sitecore Experience Edge for XM (media resizing)
  4. SitecoreAI changelog: Components, Content Types and Content Items APIs
  5. Experience Edge
  6. SitecoreAI webhooks
  7. Front-end hosting applications
  8. Schedule publishing availability of a page
  9. KB1003446: Specifics of publishing in SitecoreAI
  10. Editing in the Page builder (concurrent editing)
  11. Publish content in SitecoreAI
  12. The access rights
  13. Sitecore Cloud Portal single sign-on
  14. Sitecore Common Audit Log
  15. Logging in Sitecore XM Cloud (Fishtank)
  16. SitecoreAI Marketplace
  17. Sitecore Marketplace starter (extension points)
  18. SitecoreAI Forms
  19. Sitecore Stream tiers
  20. Sitecore Marketer MCP server

Considering more platforms? Compare Xperience by Kentico and Sitecore with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

Xperience by Kentico and Sitecore get a different status on 11 of the 28 features and the same status on 17. Xperience by Kentico has 19 built in on its baseline edition, Sitecore has 22. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.

Self-hosting
Xperience by Kentico can be self-hosted. Sitecore cannot be self-hosted.

Built in on Xperience by Kentico, a different answer on Sitecore 3

  • Renders the website Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Sitecore: Not available.
  • Scheduled publishing Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Sitecore: Limited.
  • Site member accounts Xperience by Kentico: Built in. Sitecore: Not available.

Built in on Sitecore, a different answer on Xperience by Kentico 6

  • REST API Xperience by Kentico: Limited. Sitecore: Built in.
  • GraphQL API Xperience by Kentico: Paid tier. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Webhooks Xperience by Kentico: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Field-level permissions Xperience by Kentico: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Multiple sites Xperience by Kentico: Paid tier. Sitecore: Built in.
  • Official MCP server Xperience by Kentico: Limited. Sitecore: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 2

  • Content releases Xperience by Kentico: Limited. Sitecore: Not available.
  • Real-time co-editing Xperience by Kentico: Not available. Sitecore: Limited.

More comparisons

Full write-ups with worked examples and costs: Sitecore vs Payload.

Xperience by Kentico against other platforms

Sitecore against other platforms

Open the CMS comparison tool to put up to six platforms in one table.

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